1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming system provided with at least one image forming apparatus, an image forming method therefor and an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, much waste occurs when outputting a document including different kinds of data patterns such as color data, text data or image data by an image forming apparatus. For example, in a color image forming apparatus, the printing speed is generally low, and when a single black image is to be outputted, it is better from the viewpoint of efficiency to use a monochrome image forming apparatus than to use a color image forming apparatus.
Therefore, as shown, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H04-68153, in order to be capable of coping with various data forms, there has been proposed a technique of paging and sorting the output documents of a color image forming apparatus and the output documents of a monochromatic image forming apparatus to thereby obtain a form of document.
In recent years, however, due to improvements in and advance of software and hardware, the image editing capability on a computer has become diverse and along therewith, image forming patterns are becoming diversified and advanced highly. As a result, as a document, one having an image comprising a different pattern on each page is increasing.
Also, a document having pages of different sizes such as A3 size and A4 size mixedly present therein, like large-sized paper Z-folded so as to match with small-sized paper is increasing.
In such a background, when originals or document data are to be copied or printed from different print patterns or different sizes of respective pages in a document, it is strongly desired to efficiently effect copying or printing in the order of pages.